Robot and Frank
I’m posting this because it looks kind of awesome, although it does seem like the trailer tells you a lot more than it should. (Damn you, trailers, for doing that.) Still, this could be a lot of fun. Robot is inflicted on elderly man who hates tech. Elderly man befriends robot. Elderly man teaches robot to help him steal shit. That’s excellent. Also, a romance between Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon? This can only be perfection.
I had to look up the robot’s voice on imdb. It’s Peter Sarsgard, but I swear, I thought it was Kevin Spacey at first. Damn you, Moon. You have influenced my brain forever. I can’t even hear properly anymore.
Looper
New trailer for Rian Johnson’s time travel movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. Cannot possibly squee hard enough. “This is my life now. You had yours already.” I AM DYING TO SEE THIS MOVIE.
Total Recall
Meh. I was more into this movie when they were promoting it as something closer to Philip K. Dick’s original story, not because I’ve read the story, but because it was at least somewhere for the remake to go. I like cheesy sci-fi action as much as the next gal, but there’s no way this is going to surpass the original in cheesy crazy awesomeness, so I don’t get the point of this. (Yes, other than to make money. I always understand that point.)
The Man With the Iron Fists
Warnings for red band trailer.
I could not possibly due this trailer justice. I will only say that is produced by Tarantino, directed by RZA, written by RZA and Eli Roth, and stars Lucy Liu, Russell Crowe, and apparently Pam Grier. It’s Chinese feudalism and spaghetti western and FLYING EYEBALLS.
I will be seeing this movie.
And finally . . . Silver Linings Playbook
Mixed feelings on this one. I love Jennifer Lawrence, and I’m eager to see her move out of YA roles. I enjoy Bradley Cooper but haven’t been interested in almost any of the movies he’s done in the last four years. (The exception being The A-Team because I’m a sucker for ridiculous action movies with a good sense of humor.) This romance between two people dealing with mental illness could be this generation’s Benny and Joon . . .
. . . or it could be a well-meaning, cloying nightmare that spins mental illness into something that can be easily defeated with nothing but a gung-ho attitude and a little bit of luv. Or it could end up cheaply tragic. On the upside, David O. Russell seems to have a pretty good resume with The Fighter, I Heart Huckabees, and Three Kings. (Although, to be honest, I have seen none of these movies.) I’m interested in this but a bit nervous all the same.
My Geek Blasphemy 
Total Recall remake looks like the original with updated effects, but with all the joy sucked out of it. I’m not sure the performances are as good either. For example, the guy convincing him to use Rekall’s services sounds less like a salesman and more like he’s in a music video.
Was worried when you said Jennifer Lawrence was in a romantic comedy, but actually I reckon “Silver Linings Playbook” looks really good. I must agree though, Bradley Cooper’s flawed character seemingly preaching to Jennifer Lawrence towards the end of the trailer bode rather less well.
Still not sure I understand why the Mafia is sending people back in time. But yes, this latest trailer looks brilliant. (Apparently the director has warned not to watch any more promotional material after this.)
“Robot and Frank” looks like it could be good. I like the idea of an elderly person who is basically us living today in a future where technology has moved on much further and they have aged.
I hate to say it, but I think “The Man With The Iron Fists” looks stupid. Lucy Liu’s only decent film (to my mind) was “Kill Bill Volume One” (whose style this new film is clearly trying to clone) and I think you probably need a great director like Tarantino to get that from her again. The “oooh we use sex to gain power” aspect of her role is facepalmingly trashy. The RZA might well turn out to be a really good director, but I’m afraid I had real trouble working out what the hell he was mumbling about – and that’s just the lines in the trailer. I know Russell Crowe isn’t a bad actor, but one thing I don’t think he can be is charismatic. I just don’t think this is a role that will suit him. I’m REALLY not sold on this.